Lot of love for Townsville's street van

Four years after setting up a street van to distribute food to homeless and disadvantaged people, 'mum Trudy' is feeling plenty of love from the users of the van and the people that keep it on the road.

"We have so much support in goods and so forth, it is really brilliant" says co-ordinator Trudy Lightfoot of the businesses, community organisations and individuals who finance the van's four day a week service to Townsville's parks, boarding houses and some private residences.

The van delivers 800 sandwiches per week, as well as soup, bread rolls, fruit and milk, most of which has been donated by local bakeries, supermarkets and dairies.

In addition to co-ordinating the service, Trudy gives five days of her week, two rooms in her house and picks up the cost of a few sundries that aren't covered by other donations.

"It's the people" she says, that keep her going even when she is exhausted, adds the former retiree.

Through working on the street van Trudy has learned a lot about different lifestyles and Indigenous culture.

She says she didn't even realise the significance of the moniker 'mum Trudy' that some of the van users gave her.

"The Murrie people have such soft hearts. They really do, even when they have had too much to drink, they are never ever rude to us" Trudy adds.

Retiree Mike Steer uses the van three times a week and will always try to get the egg sandwiches as ham can be a bit tough going if you've no teeth he explains.

"The meat sandwiches can sometimes be a little bit on the tough side with bare gums, apart from that I'm very happy."

Mr Steer says he does quite well on the pension, but feels sorry for the people on unemployment benefits.

"What they call the dole bludgers their income hasn't been raised like the pension has to compensate for various costs of living increases and that, so they are finding it harder than the pensioners are actually."

The Street Van is always looking for volunteers, particularly for their weekday shifts.